Weathertight construction for sliding car doors



July 26, 1949. F. DITCHFIELD WEATHERTIGHT CONSTRUCTION FOR SLIDING CARDOORS Filed March 10, 1945 llllllllllllllllllll. m 2 9 4 a J m I l I 1 Il ill I a Q 5 3 a 4 7 a3 4 M 1 a 3 5 a W W 2 h J 4 w. a w

Patented July 26, 1949 WEATHERTIGHT CONSTRUCTION FOR SLIDING CAR DOORSFrank Ditchfield, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Youngstown Steel DoorCompany,

Cleveland,

Ohio, a' corporation of Ohio Application March 10, 1945, Serial No.582,155

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the descriptionthereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this SDEClfl-l cation.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a construction embodyin the instantinvention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, a portionbeing broken away.

Fig. 3 is a Vertical section taken on line 3-3 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 2 showing a modificationof the invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line li -5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the embodiment of the inven- Claims. (CI. -26);

tion illustrated in Figs. 1' to 3, inclusive, the numeral l3 designatesa conventional Z-shaped side plate, the upstanding flange of which isbroken away. The side plate includes a depending flange Ii to which theupper ends of door posts are fastened in any desired manner. The forwarddoor post only is illustrated and is designated by the reference numerall2.

A substantially J-shaped header i3 is carried by the side plate ID. Theheader embodies a vertical attaching flange M from the lower end i ofwhich a horizontal flange l5 projects outwardly. The flange 15. isturned upwardly to provide a flange 16. The header is extendedsufficiently beyond the door .posts and is secured to the dependingflange H of the side plate and to the doorv posts so as to serve as areinforcement for the ear across the door opening and as a track fordoor lift mechanism hereinafter briefly described. Additionally, theheader serves to trap foreign matter which might otherwise flnd its wayinto the car through the door opening and to this end the upstandingflange iii of the header cooperates with a member carried by the cardoor to prevent any foreign matter from being blown over the flange andinto the car as hereinafter explained.

The door opening defined by the side plate, the door posts and thefloorof the car (not shown) is controlled by means of a door ll. This doorembodies ,a metallic panel 18 ofiset outwardly adjacent to thefront andrear vertical edges thereof asindicated at l9 and 23;

The margins ofthe p nel are suitably reinforced. The front verticalmargin is reinforced by means of a relatively sturdy member 2|. Thismember is formed with a flange 22 which overlies and is secured to thepanel as by means of rivets 23. The reinforcingmember 2! also embodiesa'web 24; a forwardly extending flange 25 disposed substantially in themain plane of the panel and a-flange 26 extending outwardly at rightangles to the'flange 25 and lying at the forward edge .of, the door.Backing plates 2? and 21A disposed'substantially in the main plane ofthe panel are secured thereto along one margin and to the flange 25 ofthe reinforcing member along the other margimthereby providing asubstantially box section adjacent to the forward edge of the door. 1

The upper margin of the panel I8 is similarly offset as indicated at 28.This margin of the panel is reinforced by means of a member 29 which issubstantially'W-shaped in section. The reinforcing member ,29 embodies a7 depending flange 30 overlappingand'secured to the panel, aninwardly-extending web 3|, an upstanding flange 32, and an inwardlydirected flange 33. A backing-plate 34 is secured to the panel l8substantially in the main plane thereof and to the flange 32 of thereinforcing member and cooperates therewith and with the panel andbacking plate2'l to form aibox section.

The door is adapted to be -frictionally supported upon a track (notshown) fastened to the car below the-door opening. -Liftmechanism,designated generally by thereference numeral 35, is secured to theupper; portion of'the door for the purpise of elevating; the door andsup; porting it upon anti-friction means upon the header to permitmovementof the door in opening and closing directions.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be observedthat the inwardly extending flange 33 of the door reinforcing member 29lies vertically; above theheader i3 so as to1cooperate therewithin .thesecurement of a weathertight door. A stop 36 of conventional crosssection is also illustrated in these figures of the drawings. This stopembodies a substantially channel shaped portion 31 which receives thefront vertical portion of the door when it is closed. A flange 38extends inwardly from the channel-shaped portion 31 and terminates'in anattaching flange 39 which is disposed parallel and secured to thefrontdoor'post {2. Q

Prior to applicants invention the front door stop 36 continuedupwardlyto the door retaining bar 43 which, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of.the drawings, is Z-shaped insectionandembodies an upstanding flangefilsecured to the depending flange ll of the side, plate; an outwardlyextending web 42.,an'd iaidependingi flange '43 spaced outwardly of theheader Jl3." With this relationship between the front stop and theretaining bar, it will beapparent thatthe header, in the priorconstructions could not extend forwardly beyond the flange 38 of thefront stop and it is customary to terminate the header at this flange.Moreover, in the prior constructions in order to per-- mit the door toclose fully, it is necessary to cope the inwardly extending flange ofthe top door reinforcing member adjacent-to the; forward yer-- ticaledge of the door so that this flange would not strike against theinwardly extending flange- 38 of the front stop and preyentzthe doorfrom being fully closed. This coping of the inwardly extending flange ofthe top door reinforcing member, however, provides a substantiallydirect opening between; the: upper frontcorrier of the dooran'dithefront stoppermitting. dust, Cinders, rain, snow -andthedike, tofind their way into the car through the door opening; T

The instantinvention eliminates this opening and substantially improvesthe weathertightness of the upper front corner of; the-door. As moreclearly disclosed:in liigs;- 1; 2 and-30f the drawings, the front-doonstop -iififiis: terminated below and adjacentto-theheader Id. Theheader is extended forwardly beyond the front stop and I the flange 33of the doon reinforcing: member 291's permittedtoextendficontinuouslysubstantially to the frontvertical edgeaof thedoor. 7 K

To close the-opening abovethe header provided by this construction aplate member- 44 is utilized. This member isshownmore clearly in Fig. 3of the drawings and embodie's an outwardly and rearwardly directedflange, 45 which is similar to and disposed upon-a: corresponding flangeof the channel portion 31 ofthe front stop. The member 44- is alsoprovidedwith an inwardly extending flange dfiwhich i's disposedupon theweb of the channel shaped portion-3 of the front stop andextends-inwardly of the attaching flange of the header to :w-hioh itissecured as by means ofwelding; The-inwardly extending flange as, as=moreclearly-shown: in=Ei'g; 3fof the drawings, is coped to clear theupstanding-flange it of the header. At-itsupper portionthe-member ddextendsto the depending=flange 43 f theretaining bar 40-. inwardlyofthedepending flange 4'3 the flange-46 of the=membenfi-ifollows the innercontour of thB dGOI-a retaining bar and extends continuously==downwardlytherefrom-to the cutwardly extending flange I 5 of the header.

It willbeapparent-from the foregoing construction that theinwardlyextending flang as of the member'fl closes: the header andserves as an abutment= flange for the door above the door stop andthatthe inwardly-extending flange 33 of the door reinforcing member 29-extends continuously to the-flange 46 which-it is adapted to abutwhen=the dooris closed; The opening in the priorconstructionsprovided-bythe cope in this-inwardlyextending fiange of the to door reinforcingmember is' accordinglyeliminated and a materially improved'weathertightconstruction is afforded for-theupper; corner'of the door.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFigs; 4 and5 ofthedrawings. In this embodiment the header IS terminateS-at the inwardlyextendingfl'ange 38 of the front stop as indicated'at-dli? In order toclose the header 13 a member 49 is utilized? -The portion of this memberwhich extends'upwardly above the front stop 36 embodies a-flange iflsimilarto the flange 45 of the firstdescribed embodiment of theinventioncand an:inwardly:directed flange Eiwhich is similarto;thezflangealfi'rhereinabove described as indicated at 52 with theexception that the cope formed in the flange 46 for the-purpose; ofreceiving the upstanding flange Hi' of thehea-der l't iseliminated.Moreover, the flange 5| is extended downwardly to provide a flangeextending fromthe channel-shaped portion 37 of the front stop to thewall of the car. In both embodiments of the invention the inwardlyextending flanges of the closuremembers 44 and 49 are in alinementwiththewebidl of the front stop.

By terminating the header l3 at the inwardly extending'flange: 38gof thefront stop, it follows that theheader is spaced from the inwardlyextending flange 5! of the, closure member 49, It follows, moreover,that any foreign matter which may be collectedinthe header maybedischarged outwardly of the door. stopint'o -the:space formedbetween theinwardly extending fl'ange 38 0f; the door. stop and: theinwardlyextending flange 55 of the closure member 49; Byextending; theflange 52 of the-closure member-dd-downwardly, as more clearly shown inFig. 5"-of the-drawings, the open end of the header l3'is-protect ed;-

In all otherv respects theform-o'f;theinvention illustrated in Figs; 4and i 5- of f the drawings enibodies the construction of-theforn'i-ofthe invention illustrated in Figs: 1', 2, and 3fiof 't'hedravings.

This application is a continuation in part of applicants co-pendingapplication; Seriar No. 465,233, filed on November 11, 1942, now- PatentNo. 2,415,731, patented February 11; 194 7,

It will be apparent that numerous changesand modifications in thedetails of the-inventionwill be clear to those skilled'in-the-art. It isintended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes becomprehended withinthisinvention', which is to belimitedonly-by-the-scopeofthe claims as pended hereto- I claim:

1. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor headersecured to said wall, a frontdoor stop secured'to saidwalladjacent to said'door. opening, said door stop projecting. outwardlyof and terminating substan tially at the bottomof said header, adcorrotainer secured'to saidwall; said retainer having-a dependingflange disposed outwardly off said header, and a member-extendingfromsaid pro- .iecting portion offsaid door-stop to thaunderside of saidretainer, and to saidwall to-cl ose said header.

2. In a railway. housecarhaving a wall' provided with adoor. opening, .adoorheader secured to said wall, a;fronti door stop provided with aflange extending from said Walliadiacent-tosaid door opening: and.achannelextending forwardly from said flange in spacedirelation' tosaid wall; said channel projecting;outwardlyof said header,

'said door; stop terminating substantially as thebottom of saidheadel'ga door retainer. extending from, said? wall:v having. adepending flange disposed outwardly-ofsaidiheader, anda-member extendingfrom. said channel. to :the underside cf said retainer and Lto said.wallto-close said header.

3. In a railway house car having awall provided with a door opening,said wall, a front door sto-ptprovidedwithaflirnge extending from: saidWall: adjacent, to: said door opening and. achannehextendingzforwardly'from: said flange in;spacedfrelati0n1 to: said? wall; saidchannelprojectingoutwardly of said :header, said door stop terminatingsubstantially-atfthe =bottom of said header; a door retainer extending--from said wall having a: depending-flange disposed outa; door;headensecured to wardly of said header, and a plate member secured tothe top of said channel and extending therefrom to the underside of saidretainer and to said wall to close said header.

4. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header secured to said wall, a front door stop provided with aflange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header, said door stopterminating substantially at the bottom of said header, a door retainerextending from said wall having a depending flange dis posed outwardlyof said header, said header extending from said wall and terminatingsubstan tially at said flange, and a member extending upwardly from saidchannel to the underside of said retainer and to said wall'anddownwardly between said channel and said wall in spaced relation to saidflange of said stop.

5. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header secured to said wall, a front door stop provided with aflange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header, said door stopterminating substantially at the bottom of said header, a door retainerextending from said wall having a depending flange disposed outwardly ofsaid header, and a plate member secured to the top of said channel andextend ing therefrom to the underside of said retainer and to said wallto close said header, said header extending at least to said platemember.

6. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header secured to said wall, a front door stop secured to said walladjacent to said door opening, said door stop projecting outwardly ofand terminating substantially at the bottom of said header, a doorretainer secured to said wall, said retainer having a depending flangedisposed outwardly of said header, a sliding door mounted on said car,the upper portion of said door lying between said header and saidretainer flange, an inwardly directed flange at the top of said door,said door flange extending substantially to the forward edge of saiddoor, and a member extending from said projecting portion of said doorstop to the underside of said retainer and to said wall to close saidheader, said door flange being adapted to abut said member when saiddoor is closed.

'1. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header secured to said wall, a front door stop provided with aflange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header, said door stopterminating substantially at the bottom of said header, a door retainerextending from said wall having a depending flange disposed outwardly ofsaid header, a sliding door mounted on said car having its upper portiondisposed between said header and said retainer flange, an inwardlydirected flange at the top of said door extending substantially to theforward edge thereof, and a member extending from said channel to theunderside of said retainer and to said wall to close said header, saiddoor flange being adapted to abut said member when said door is closed.

8. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header extending from said wall, a front door stop provided with aflange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header and having a websubstantially parallel to said flange, said door stop terminatingsubstantially at the bottom of said header, a door retainer extendingfrom said wall embodying a depending flange spaced outwardly of saidheader, and a closure member extending from said channel in line withthe web thereof to the underside of said retainer and to said wall.

9. In a railway house car having a wall provide-:1 with a door opening,a door header extending from said wall, a front door stop provided witha flange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header and having a websubstantially parallel to said flange, said door stop terminatingsubstantially at the bottom of said header, a door retainer extendingfrom said wall embodying a depending flange spaced outwardly of saidheader, said header terminating substantially at said flange of saidstop, and a closure member extending from said channel in line with theweb thereof upwardly to the underside of said retainer and to said walland downwardly between said channel and said wall in spaced relation tosaid flange of said stop.

10. In a railway house car having a wall provided with a door opening, adoor header extending from said wall, a front door stop provided with aflange extending from said wall adjacent to said door opening and achannel extending forwardly from said flange in spaced relation to saidwall, said channel projecting outwardly of said header and having a websubstantially parallel to said flange, said door stop terminatingsubstantially at the bottom of said header, said header terminatingsubstantially at said flange of said step, a door retainer extendingfrom said wall embodying a depending flange spaced outwardly of saidheader, a sliding door mounted on said car, the upper portion of saiddoor being disposed between said header and said retainer flange andhaving a flange overlying said header, said door flange extendingsubstantially to the forward edge of said door, and a closure memberextending from said channel in line with the web thereof upwardly to theunderside of said retainer and to the said wall and downwardly betweensaid channel and said wall in spaced relation to said flange of saidstop, said door flange being adapted to abut said member when said dooris closed.

FRANK DITCI-EIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,027,598 Lute Jan. 14, 19362,363,135 Madland Nov. 21, 1944 2,372,394 Reese Mar. 27, 1945

